Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I move government amendment No. (4) on sheet JP109:

(4) Schedule 1, item 23, page 7 (after line 9), at the end of subsection 269(1A), add:

Note: Paragraph (1A)(b) applies both for the purposes of determining whether a ballot paper is formal, and for the purposes of determining which numbers marked on a ballot paper are counted in the election.

Example:   A ballot paper has squares above the line that are numbered 1, 1, 2 and 3. The vote is informal because, by disregarding the numbers 1 and upwards under subparagraph (2)(b)(i), no squares have been numbered.

  A second ballot paper has squares above the line that are numbered consecutively from 1 to 9 and then 11, 12, 13 and 14. The vote is formal under paragraph (1)(b). However, only the squares numbered from 1 to 9 are counted for the purposes of sections 273 and 273A because the numbers 11 and upwards are disregarded under subparagraph (b)(ii) of this subsection.